What Happened When Jesus Died?

We know that when Jesus died, His body went into the tomb, and His soul descended into Hades. On the third day, He arose from death and emerged from the tomb. It is important to remember that Hades and Hell are not the same place, according to Luke 16:9-31. What happened while Jesus was in Hades? We don’t have a detailed account of what He did while there, but one thing we know is that the trip was necessary in order to fulfill prophecy (Psalm 16:10) and also to take death captive, which included acquiring the keys to death and Hades. Ephesians 4:8 (ASV) states that He lead captivity captive. Picture a victorious general returning to the capital and being led by his prisoners. When Jesus ascended, He conquered death, and it became His captive. Finally, note how Jesus described Himself in Revelation 1:17-18. “Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.” This is why the resurrection is the day that changed the world!